System for influencing the speed of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

System for evaluating the driving environment of a motor vehicle and for influencing the speed of the motor vehicle in its own lane, with an electronic control unit, which is connected to a signal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of the desired speed of the motor vehicle, a signal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of the yaw rate of the motor vehicle about its vertical axis, a signal generator which generates, for objects located in the space lying in front of the motor vehicle in its direction of travel, a signal which is characteristic of the distance and orientation of the objects with respect to the motor vehicle and which reproduces the speed relative to the speed of the driver&#39;s motor vehicle, and/or the distance relative to the driver&#39;s motor vehicle, and/or the angular offset or the lateral deviation relative to the vehicle longitudinal axis of the driver&#39;s motor vehicle, and a signal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of the speed at least of one wheel of the motor vehicle, and which unit is connected to at least one control device influencing the road behavior of the motor vehicle in order to supply this with output signals which are derived from the road behavior of the motor vehicle located in front of the driver&#39;s motor vehicle, with characteristic values having fluid boundaries being established in the electronic control unit for at least two different road environments (town traffic, country road, motorway) in order to distinguish the type of road on which the driver&#39;s motor vehicle is traveling, wherein a quantity influencing the respective characteristic value is the “environmental speed” established from the speeds of the objects detected in the space in front of the driver&#39;s motor vehicle and preferably determined by averaging.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of application number PCT/EP03/013026filed Nov. 20, 2003, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference, which claims priority to German Application No. 102 54 421.2filed Nov. 21, 2002, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for influencing the speed of a motorvehicle. Control systems of this kind are increasingly being used inmotor vehicles, in particular upper and upper medium class private cars,under the name of ACC (Autonomous/Adaptive Cruise Control).

Devices are known which control the driving speed of a motor vehicle,wherein the driver can preset a desired speed and the driving speed ofthe motor vehicle is brought to this target speed by a speed controllerand kept there all the time this device is activated. However, nomonitoring of the driving speed of a motor vehicle traveling ahead takesplace in this case. Therefore the driver has to intervene if his ownmotor vehicle comes too close to the motor vehicle traveling ahead.Similarly, if the speed of the motor vehicle traveling ahead increases,the driver can also increase the speed of his own vehiclecorrespondingly.

A device which removes from the driver the monitoring of the distancefrom the motor vehicle traveling ahead and adjusts the speed of his ownmotor vehicle to the speed of a motor vehicle traveling ahead isdescribed, for example, in EP-A-0 612 641.

In order to give ACC systems of this kind broader use successfully, safeand reliable operation of these systems is required, which also resultsin greater driving comfort and therefore increased acceptance bydrivers. The invention is concerned in particular with the problem ofimproving the selection of the target vehicle and thus of making thedriving behavior or performance of the driver's vehicle more reliable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, in order to distinguish the type of road onwhich the driver's vehicle travels, characteristic values having fluidboundaries are established in the electronic control unit (ECU) for atleast two different road environments (town traffic, country road,highway) wherein a quantity influencing the respective characteristicvalue is the “environmental speed” established from the speeds of theobjects detected in the space in front of the driver's vehicle andpreferably determined by averaging.

The invention in this case is based on the realization that a moreintensive evaluation of the driving environment of one's own vehicle isrequired. The results of this evaluation of the driving environment arethen also to be used when influencing the speed of the driver's motorvehicle.

The characteristic value “environment speed” preferably has thedimension speed (distance/time) to reflect the situation in the realroad traffic, in particular the speed and the performance of other roadusers. This allows a continuous change of this characteristic valuewhich might also have fluid boundaries. The boundaries between twodifferent road environments (town traffic <-> country road, country road<-> highway, town traffic <-> highway) may also be different from driverto driver.

The function of an ACC system of the kind according to the invention isbased on the fact that arranged on the front part of one's own vehicleis a sensor, generally orientated rigidly towards the front and usuallya radar sensor, with a relatively narrow detection range. This sensorserves to detect objects located in the detection range and to reportthem to an ECU (with the distance and lateral drift or angle position tothe central axis of the sensor or of the motor vehicle and possibly thesize of the object).

From these data and from several other data acquired in one's ownvehicle (speed, rate of revolutions or yaw rate about the vertical axisof own vehicle, side acceleration of own vehicle, etc.) firstly the laneor the driving corridor of one's own vehicle is determined in the ECU.Based on this, a, generally the closest, motor vehicle in one's owndriving corridor is then determined according to certain criteria as thetarget vehicle traveling ahead, in order to control the distance, basedon this vehicle, by intervening in the engine control, the gear controland the braking system. It is therefore possible for one's own vehicleto follow a vehicle traveling ahead at a safe distance (possiblydepending on the speed and other factors), fixing and maintaining thesafe distance being performed by interventions in the engine controlsystem and in the braking system of one's one motor vehicle independentof the driver. The driver generally presets only one desired speed ofhis own motor vehicle and/or a desired distance of his own motor vehiclefrom a target motor vehicle.

In other words the invention provides a system for evaluating thedriving environment of a motor vehicle and for influencing the speed ofthe motor vehicle. This system has an ECU which is connected to a signaltransmitter generating a signal characteristic of the desiredspeed/desired distance of the motor vehicle. Moreover, the momentary(actual) speed of one's own motor vehicle is fed to the ECU.

Moreover, the ECU is connected to a signal transmitter generating asignal characteristic of the rate of revolutions of the motor vehicleabout its vertical axis.

Furthermore, the ECU is connected to a signal transmitter whichgenerates a signal characteristic of objects located in the area infront of the motor vehicle in the direction of travel of the motorvehicle in respect of their distance and orientation to the motorvehicle. This may be a radar sensor, an ultrasound or infrared sensor,or else a picture sensor (video camera). The area scanned by the sensoris approximately conical or lobar and has a length of approximately100–250 meters and an aperture of approximately 12°, depending on theactual circumstances of the environment. Safe detection/selection cantherefore be made for objects located at a distance of approximately170+/−30 meters from one's own vehicle or are moving in front of itwithin this range.

Finally, the ECU is connected to a signal transmitter generating asignal characteristic of the speed of at least one wheel of the motorvehicle. This may be, for example, the revolution counter of theanti-blocking system (ABS). In the ECU the signals from these signaltransmitters are processed by means of one or more computer unit(s). Theresults therein determined are fed as output signals derived from thedriving behavior of the motor vehicle located in front of one's ownmotor vehicle by the ECU to at least one control device which has aninfluence on the driving behavior of one's own motor vehicle.

As detection of the objects takes place in a chronological grid of tensof milliseconds (for example 50 milliseconds), the chronological changesin the positions of the individual objects can be established in theECU. Taking into account the movement(s) of one's own vehicle, movementsof the objects and possibly their relative speed can also be calculatedin the ECU. From this the attributes “stationary”, “moving substantiallyin the same direction as own vehicle” or “moving substantially in theopposite direction to own motor vehicle” are also allocated to theobject in the ECU.

In other words, for objects located in the area at least their speedrelative to the speed of one's own vehicle, their distance relative toone's own motor vehicle and the angle offset or the lateral driftrelative to the longitudinal axis of one's own vehicle are continuallydetected and evaluated in the ECU from signals from the signaltransmitter which generates a signal characteristic of objects locatedin the area in front of the motor vehicle in the driving direction ofthe motor vehicle in respect of their distance and orientation to themotor vehicle.

For practical reasons the number of objects observed is limited in thiscase. Stationary targets, in other words those whose relative speed inthe direction of travel of one's own motor vehicle is the same as thespeed of one's own vehicle with opposite algebraic signs, are excluded.Objects located close to one's own motor vehicle are preferred toobjects located further away.

All objects classified by the ECU as being considered in any way astarget objects on the basis of the signals detected by the radar sensorare kept in an object table in which the respective attributes and dataof the objects are also kept and entered or updated by the ECU using thecurrent (new) calculations.

In particular, to reduce the possible targets located in the lane infront of one's own vehicle, generally not the entire detectionarea—limited by the aperture of the (radar) sensor—is evaluated, but areduced region in respect thereof. This measure reduces the number ofobjects to be observed. For simplicity's sake, however—insofar as thereis no explicit reference thereto—it will be assumed below that the rangeactually evaluated and the detection area in front of one's own motorvehicle coincide.

As explained above, one stage in determining the (distance) from one'sown motor vehicle to “tracking” vehicles is determining one's own lane.This is established by its centre line, its width or approximately bysections with a constant radius of curvature. The present systemmodifies the radius of curvature R of the bend of the lane of the centreof gravity of one's own motor vehicle using the change in the anglebearing of the objects traveling ahead and the absolute position of theobjects traveling ahead compared with the momentarily predicated lane inthe ECU to establish the centre line of one's own lane in the areadetected in front of the motor vehicle.

As initial value for the radius of curvature R (for example if there areno objects traveling ahead) the speed of one's own motor vehicle dividedby its momentary rate of revolutions is determined and fed to the ECU bythe appropriate signal transmitter. The radius of curvature of the bendin the lane is then modified in the ECU by the lateral speeds as afunction of objects moving in the area detected in front of the motorvehicle.

A few further criteria which lead to a change in the radius of curvatureor which are taken into account and evaluated by the program running inthe ECU when updating the radius of curvature are:

-   -   i. the length of time spent by the objects moving in the area        detected by the sensor in front of the motor vehicle,    -   ii. the speed in the direction of travel of one's own motor        vehicle of the objects moving in the area detected in front of        the motor vehicle and/or    -   iii. the distance of the objects moving in the area detected in        front of the motor vehicle from one's own vehicle.

With low speed of one's own motor vehicle the radius of curvature isalso reduced, as increased stability (low noise or constancy) of thesignal reproducing the lateral position of the motor vehicle is achievedin this way. A (non-linear) reduction factor is preferably kept in atable for this.

The dimension by which changes in the bend radius are permissible isalso dependent on the bend radius itself. With a very small bend radiusa relatively high change rate is permitted. In particular in the case ofexits to bends it is then achieved that on a straight stretch followingthe bend the correct lane of the motor vehicle traveling ahead which hasbeen chosen as target motor vehicle—but also one's own lane—is soonfound again.

The system according to the invention presets itself a width of own lanewhich is firstly dependent on the dimensions of the vehicle minus asafety allowance of approximately 0.2–0.7 meters on each side. On astraight stretch one's own lane would therefore have a substantiallyrectangular shape, the length of which—observed at any time—is slightlysmaller than the reach of the radar sensor. This substantiallyrectangular lane is simulated in the ECU as a data structure. The widthof the lane at close range (approximately 0–50 meters) and at long range(150+ meters) is fixed as smaller than in medium range (50–150 meters).

In order to keep the data structure in the ECU as effidently aspossible, in the system according to the invention the width of one'sown lane is fixed in the ECU only at those places in the area in frontof one's own motor vehicle at which there are also objects in thedetected area in front of one's own motor vehicle.

In the ECU the system modifies the width of one's own lane as a functionof the distance away of detected objects in the area in front of one'sown motor vehicle and the orientation of a bend in such a way that at alarge distance away (150+ meters) the width decreases on the outside ofthe bend and the width at medium distance (50–150 meters) increases onthe inside of the bend. This procedure reduces the selection ofunfavourable objects as target motor vehicles “tracked” by one's ownmotor vehicle.

So that small lateral movements of the target motor vehicle to betracked do not lead to these lateral movements being identified by theECU as a change of lane of this motor vehicle, the width of one's ownlane (and therefore also the lane of the target motor vehicle to betracked) is widened in the ECU (ECU) towards both sides at the pointwhere the target motor vehicle is located.

Similarly, one's own lane is widened in the ECU as a function of thetime during which the driving behavior of one's own motor vehicle isdependent on the driving behavior of this target motor vehicle towardsboth sides at the point where the target motor vehicle is located.

Additionally or instead of the above measure for stabilising the drivingbehavior of one's own motor vehicle, the width of one's own lane canalso be modified in the ECU as a function of the bendiness of the roadon which one's own vehicle is located. In particular the width isreduced in this case if the road is very bendy. For this the radius ofcurvature at that moment and possibly also that of only a short time agois evaluated in the ECU. If there is a small radius of curvature thewidth is reduced.

The same applies to the measure, likewise according to the invention, ofmodifying the width of one's own lane in the ECU, at least in sections,as a function of the speed of one's own motor vehicle. With a high speedof one's own vehicle the width of one's own lane is increased in orderto avoid the target motor vehicle being “lost” from tracking owing evento small lateral movements of one's own or the tracked motor vehicle.

A further criterion in determining the optimum target vehicle travelingahead, on the driving behavior of which the driving behavior of one'sown motor vehicle is to be made dependent, is determining the lanes ofthe road on which one's own motor vehicle is moving. In this casedemarcation markings of the lane are not looked for, as they arefrequently not present. The behavior of the other objects moving in thearea in front of one's own motor vehicle is instead evaluated in orderto draw conclusions from this as to how many lanes the road has and onwhich of these lanes one's own motor vehicle is moving.

The system according to the invention keeps so-called lane lists forthree lanes in the direction of travel of one's own motor vehicle andfor three lanes in the opposite direction of travel. Basically, for eachmoving object from the object table in the ECU the chronological courseof the lateral drift (in other words the lateral offset of therespective object in respect of the central axis of one's own motorvehicle and/or the course of the predicated lane) is evened out for thisby low-pass filtering with a short time constant and then integrated.

In order to generate the lane lists from the object table and to keepthem up-to-date, firstly one's own lane is determined. For this objectson the lateral edges of the detected area are given a low weightingfactor and objects in the medium range of the area detected are given ahigher weighting factor. Similarly, objects a long way away and veryclose objects with a large lateral drift are given a low weightingfactor. All objects evaluated as low have in common that their exactlateral position can be determined only with difficulty and is alsosubject to great inaccuracy. Therefore they should have only very slightsignificance in determining lanes.

One's own lane is determined in the ECU from the thus weighted objects,incorporating the movements of one's own motor vehicle.

Using these results for the individual objects as a basis, movingobjects are classified in the ECU as objects in one's own lane if anobject further away than a minimum distance appears in one's own laneduring a predetermined time frame for a length of time which has arelationship to the sum of the length of appearance in one or both theneighbouring lanes exceeding a threshold value dependent on the distanceaway of the object.

Starting from the above determining of the objects in one's own lane,the predetermined time frame can be modified in the ECU as a function ofthe speed of one's own motor vehicle to optimise and adjust the functionto different marginal conditions and environments.

Moreover, the threshold value can be reduced in the ECU as the distanceof the object from one's own motor vehicle becomes smaller.

Finally, moving objects detected in the area in front of one's own motorvehicle are classified in the ECU as objects located in the lane to theleft or right of one's own if an object is located left of the left-handdemarcation of one's own lane or right of the right-hand demarcation ofone's own lane at the corresponding distance away.

Lane allocation is likewise performed for the motor vehicles comingtowards one, using the datum of their direction of travel and theirrespective lateral drift.

In general, according to the invention the length of time spent for ofall objects for the lanes present in relation to one's own lane isdetermined and weighted over the time, wherein more recent appearanceschronologically of objects in the lane of one's own vehicle are ratedhigher than appearances in the past and appearances of objects in thelane of one's own motor vehicle located at a spatial distance are ratedlower than appearances located spatially closer. In this way it isachieved that safe determining of the objects as driving in one's ownlane is performed. When selecting the target object behind which one hasto “drive”, this reduces the probability of a false choice.

From the lanes present in each case a maximum of two moving objects arenow selected in the ECU and characterized as priority objects if theyhave been detected as moving in front of one's own motor vehicle for aperiod of time above a minimum value, this respective length of time ofeach object being weighted lower for objects located very close to one'sown motor vehicle (c. 0–c. 30 m).

Therefore the number of candidates from which the target motor vehicleis selected is already greatly restricted. Moreover, these maximum sixobjects are those which are of pre-eminent significance for the drivingbehavior of one's own vehicle. Therefore in first approximation it issufficient to observe these six objects in order to orientate themomentary driving behavior of one's own vehicle thereto. For eachpriority object it is determined in the ECU how far each priority objectchanges its lateral position relative to the centre line of the lane ofone's own motor vehicle. The sum of the average values of the lateralchanges in position of the priority objects is determined in this caseas the change value of the lane of one's own motor vehicle at therespective distance from one's own motor vehicle.

In the ECU, from the priority objects the one, on the driving behaviorof which the driving behavior of one's own motor vehicle is supposed tobe dependent, is chosen as target motor vehicle, which

-   -   i. is moving in the lane of one's own vehicle,    -   ii. has a direction of movement over ground which substantially        coincides with the direction of movement of one's own motor        vehicle and    -   iii. has already been detected for a predetermined length of        time in the area in front of one's own vehicle.

The program running in the ECU preferably selects from the priorityobjects as target motor vehicle the one on the driving behavior of whichthe driving behavior of one's own motor vehicle is to be dependent, inwhich the cross speed relative to the centre line of one's own lane doesnot exceed a threshold value. For this the lateral drift for theindividual objects from the target list is preferably differentiatedaccording to the time. The threshold value can in this case be changedas a function of the distance of the respective object from one's ownmotor vehicle. These measures ensure that preferably a motor vehiclewhich has relatively steady driving behavior is selected as the targetmotor vehicle to be tracked. As a result of this there is also only aslight probability that this selected motor vehicle “gets lost from thesensor detection”, which again leads to steadier driving behavior byone's own motor vehicle.

As a further improvement in detection safety, in particular to avoidmirror effects of the sensor beam (on the demarcation of the lane or onother—possibly moving—objects), a value reproducing the noise amplitudeof the bearing angle for each of the objects is reserved by the ECU inthe target list for each object and regularly updated. For all objectsthe chronological course of this value is smoothed out in the ECU by alow-pass. If the smoothed out value course for an object exceeds athreshold value dependent on distance away, this object is excluded fromselection as target motor vehicle.

A further measure for increasing the stability of the system—in otherwords to avoid false selections—is that the ECU excludes a priorityobject from the target list from being selected as target motor vehicleif

-   -   i. its distance from one's own motor vehicle is less than a        distance threshold value and    -   ii. the absolute value of the bearing angle to this priority        object is greater than an angle threshold value (for example 4°)        and    -   iii. this priority object has not previously been chosen as        target motor vehicle.        This ensures that an—unnecessary—change in target motor vehicle        or jumping forwards and backwards between two (supposedly)        “equally good” objects is avoided. This has the positive effect        that an increase or decrease in the speed of one's own vehicle        associated with the change to a new target motor vehicle is        avoided.

The system according to the invention continually evaluates for thetarget motor vehicle the change in the bearing angle seen from one's ownmotor vehicle and also the rate of revolutions for one's own motorvehicle, in order to identify a change in lane of one's own motorvehicle. For this it is determined whether the change in the bearingangle to the target motor vehicle, on the driving behavior of which thedriving behavior of one's own motor vehicle is supposed to be dependent,is above a certain threshold value and substantially equal to the rateof revolutions of one's own motor vehicle with inverse algebraic sign.

In order to identify whether one's own motor vehicle is driving on abend, a variable related to the curvature of the lane of one's own motorvehicle is fed in the ECU as input signal in parallel to severallow-pass filters with different time constants (low, preferably firstorder). The output signals of the low-pass filters and the input signalare compared with one another. If the (amplitudes of the) output signalshave a respective minimum distance from one another and the outputsignal of a respective low-pass filter is smaller than the output signalof a low-pass filter with a smaller time constant and is larger than theoutput signal of a low-pass filter with a larger time constant or theoutput signal of a respective low-pass filter is larger than the outputsignal of a low-pass filter with a smaller time constant and is smallerthan the output signal of a low-pass filter with a larger time constant,in the road course of one's own motor vehicle a transition from a bendof one orientation to a bend of the opposite orientation is identified.If the ECU has established that one's own motor vehicle is in a bendtransition, for example an S-bend, the length of the evaluated lane isreduced, as in this situation different objects often change theirlateral drift very greatly. If the evaluation length is reduced, objectsin particular traveling at a greater distance in front of one's ownmotor vehicle are omitted from the observation. As the probability of anobject traveling at a greater distance in front of one's own motorvehicle erroneously appearing in one's own lane is relatively high in asituation of this kind, the error ratio is lowered by reducing theevaluation length.

An essential aspect in identifying the environment is identifying thetype of road. Identifying the type of road is of advantage in optimumcoordination when selecting the target motor vehicle and controlling thespeed of one's own motor vehicle. This is based on the realization thatdifferent types of road require coordination of individual systemparameters (length and width of the evaluated lane(s), accelerationthresholds, etc.) differing considerably from one another in order tooperate the system optimally, in other words in such a way that itcorresponds as accurately as possible to the attitude of expectation ofthe driver.

The system according to the invention evaluates the speed of one's ownmotor vehicle, the number of identified lanes with the same direction oftravel as that of one's own motor vehicle, the curvature of the lanes,etc. In order to implement this, according to the invention acharacteristic value is determined which has flexible transitions and isdefined as environmental speed. This characteristic value has thedimension speed (path/time).

To distinguish the type of road on which one's own motor vehicle istraveling, the system according to the invention determinescharacteristic values in the ECU for at least two different roadenvironments (town traffic, country road, motorway), a variableinfluencing the respective characteristic value being the environmentalspeed determined from the speeds of the objects detected in the area infront of one's own motor vehicle and the speed of one's own motorvehicle, preferably decided by average value formation. The roadenvironments have flexible limits, not rigid limit values.

All the time the value “environmental speed” is in the “motorway” rangeit is approximately 120 km/h–150 km/h. This applies even if the speedactually being driven at by the motor vehicle is momentarily lower orhigher. In the “country road” range the value is approximately 60km/h–100 km/h. In the “town traffic” range the value is approximately 30km/h–50 km/h.

Based on a journey over a fairly long time at high speed for a fairlylong time and with small steering turns, the ECU increases the value“environmental speed” in steps to such an extent that it comes into the“motorway” range (120 km/h–150 km/h). By means of a driving section witha bend radius and with a length as normally occurs at motorway exits andcorresponding considerably reduced speed, the value “environmentalspeed” is brought back at a high rate to a value of, for example, 50km/h–70 km/h, corresponding to the “country road” range, even if thespeed being driven at momentarily is above this.

In the system according to the invention the value “environmental speed”is approximated in the ECU from a momentary amount to the speed actuallybeing driven at by one's own motor vehicle via a predefined function(e.g. ramp, step). Preferably an approximation from a higher value thanthe momentary amount of the speed actually being driven at takes placeat a first speed rate and an approximation from a lower value than themomentary amount of the speed actually being driven at a second,preferably considerably higher speed rate than the first. In this way itis ensured that drops in speed of short duration, for example on themotorway in the area of road-works or owing to a slower motor vehiclecutting in to the lane of one's own motor vehicle, do not cause animmediate drop back into the “country road” value range or even “towntraffic”.

The value “environmental speed” is further increased in the ECU via apredefined function (e.g. ramp, step), if there are at least two otherobjects substantially traveling side by side in front of one's own motorvehicle and one's own motor vehicle is driving at an actual speed whichis in the “country road” range. An increase in the value “environmentalspeed” here takes place at a third, preferably considerably higher speedrate than the second. In particular an upper threshold value can beachieved here if a relatively high speed is achieved for a fairly longtime on a multi-lane motor road outside a built-up area.

Moreover, the value “environmental speed” is reduced to a lower limitvalue via a predefined function (e.g. ramp, step) if side accelerationexceeding a threshold value were to result from the value “environmentalspeed” and the momentary rate of revolutions of one's own motor vehicle.In this case lowering of the value “environmental speed” takes place ata fourth, preferably considerably higher speed rate than the third. Thisensures that on narrow bends lowering of the value “environmental speed”takes place very quickly.

Finally, the value “environmental speed” is limited to a predeterminedmultiple (e.g. 1.2) of the desired speed of the motor vehicle. Thismeasure is based on the thought that if there is a change in theenvironment, for example from town traffic to country road or motorway,a change in the desired speed performed by the driver follows. Thus evenin relatively fast traffic on multi-lane roads outside built-up areasthe “motorway” speed level cannot be achieved without intervention bythe driver.

The value “environmental speed” can adopt a maximum of a predeterminedlower limit/threshold value and a predetermined upper limit/thresholdvalue.

The course of curvature of the lane driven in by one's own motor vehicleis differentiated according to the path in the system according to theinvention. As a function of the result a characteristic value“bendiness” is determined, which is not dependent on the speed of one'sown motor vehicle.

The result of the differentiation of the course of curvature of the lanedriven in by one's own vehicle is, moreover, evaluated in the ECU inorder to reduce the characteristic value “bendiness” at a predeterminedrate where there are long, straight sections of the lane over a certainstretch of route, as a function of the result.

The result of the differentiation of the course of curvature of the lanedriven in by one's own motor vehicle is, moreover, evaluated in the ECU,in order to increase the characteristic value “bendiness” at apredetermined rate on S-bends (two bend sections running in oppositedirections without a straight piece in between), as a function of theresult.

In the system according to the invention the characteristic value“bendiness” is increased by a dynamic proportion at a high rate in theECU if a signal is present which reproduces a curvature in the lane ofone's own motor vehicle above a first predetermined value and, if thereis no rate of revolutions signal above a second predetermined value, thedynamic portion is brought back again. In this way, in particular fordriving on bends with a small bend radius, a quick reduction in thevalue “environmental speed” is achieved, without this leading to leavingthe “motorway” range for the value “environmental speed”, for example,when driving past motorway intersections or motorway interchanges.

In order to further improve the reduction in false target selection, inthe system according to the invention in the ECU the dynamic portion is,furthermore, added to the value “bendiness” or subtracted from it againin right-hand drive traffic for right-hand bends only and in left-handdrive traffic for left-hand bends only.

Preferably the dynamic portion is modified in the ECU depending on theaverage curvature of the lane and the change in direction of travelsince entering the bend. Entering the bend is here defined as the timeat which the curvature signal exceeds the first predetermined thresholdvalue. The change in direction of travel results from the integral ofthe yaw rate of the motor vehicle over the time.

In selecting the target motor vehicle there is the problem that aspireddetection as early as possible of possible target objects, though itleads to increased stability or calm in “following” this target motorvehicle already detected a long way in front of one's own motor vehicle,in particular in the case of bendy motorways the danger also increasesthat a false target motor vehicle will be selected which is not actuallyin one's own lane. The invention therefore provides a procedure whichallows an estimation of how susceptible the current target selection isto false selection owing to the environmental situation.

In the system according to the invention, as a function of the bendinessvalue those of the priority objects which are further away from one'sown motor vehicle than others are excluded from selection as targetmotor vehicle.

In order to configure the selection of priority objects as accuratelyand efficiently as possible, it is of advantage if the system hasavailable the information as to whether one's own vehicle is moving inan environment of left-hand drive or right-hand drive traffic. Startingfrom this, asymmetrication of the selection can be performed. Accordingto the invention, based on this information, motor vehicles in the“slower” or “faster” lane than one's own are excluded from selection, as“false priority targets”, rather than others located in one's own lane.Moreover, according to the invention, after cutting in to the “faster”lane, a higher acceleration is performed, etc.

For this, according to the invention during an (active or passive)overtaking process it is determined on which side the overtaking motorvehicle is located during overtaking. For this the speed of motorvehicles traveling in front of one's own motor vehicle in the lanespresent is determined in the ECU and from this a characteristic valuederived which indicates whether one's own motor vehicle is in left-handor right-hand drive traffic.

For this the stretch covered by a predetermined number of the vehiclestraveling in front of one's own motor vehicle in the lanes present or avariable correlated thereto is determined and related to thecorresponding variable for one's own motor vehicle, in that thecharacteristic value is determined as the sum of the differences in thespeeds of the motor vehicles of a first, preferably the left-hand, laneand the speeds of the vehicles of a second, preferably the right-hand,lane.

To increase safety during identification, an upper threshold value and alower threshold value are determined, wherein the ECU generates andstores a signal “right-hand drive traffic” if the characteristic valueexceeds the upper threshold value and the ECU generates and stores asignal “left-hand drive traffic” if the characteristic value goes belowthe lower threshold value.

Preferably only speeds of motor vehicles which exceed a predeterminedthreshold value are taken into account. This avoids false evaluationsowing to convoy traffic or in built-up areas.

In order to avoid errors in allocating lanes, motor vehicles travelingin front of one's own motor vehicle are evaluated only if the radius ofthe lane exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

To further increase the safety of selection, additionally to or insteadof evaluation of the speeds of the motor vehicles in the same directionof travel as one's own motor vehicle, determination of on which side ofone's own motor vehicle there are motor vehicles going in the oppositedirection of travel can also be used. For this, for motor vehicles witha negative relative speed to the speed of one's own vehicle, the amountof which is greater than the speed of one's own motor vehicle, thealgebraic sign of the respective characteristic value is inverted in thecontrol unit before adding up.

For motor vehicles with a negative relative speed to the speed of one'sown motor vehicle, the amount of which is greater than the speed ofone's own motor vehicle, the characteristic value can in this case beprovided with a weighting factor.

As the detection area in front of one's own motor vehicle, as explainedabove, substantially widens out in the shape of a cone in front of thefront part of the motor vehicle symmetrically to its centrallongitudinal axis with a relatively narrow aperture, “loss” of thetarget motor vehicle may occur on narrow bends.

Immediately after the loss of the target motor vehicle it may then occurthat the speed of one's own motor vehicle is increased by the ECU. Thisresults in the motor vehicle driving towards a bend situation atincreased speed or accelerating on the bend. Consequently the drivermust intervene and brake. To avoid this, according to the invention, ifit is established that a target motor vehicle is leaving the detectionarea in front of one's own motor vehicle, a trigger signal is generatedin the ECU which limits the momentary speed or the momentaryacceleration of one's own motor vehicle, at least for a stretch, to avalue substantially corresponding to a maximum of the distance X betweenone's own motor vehicle and the target motor vehicle at the time of itsleaving the detection area.

In this way the speed of one's own motor vehicle remains constant orincreases only minimally until one's own motor vehicle has also reachedthe bend or the place at which the target motor vehicle was “lost”. Thismeans a considerable gain in comfort and safety, as even on very bendystretches hardly any or no braking interventions by the driver arerequired. The driver substantially just has to continue to steer, whilethe target motor vehicle supplies the appropriate default for the ECU inthe driver's own motor vehicle by its hesitation before entering a bendor acceleration at the exit of a bend. The ECU appropriately bridges theperiod of time between “losing” and “re-finding” the target motorvehicle.

As the loss of the target motor vehicle usually happens only when it isalready on the bend, in a preferred embodiment the distance X betweenone's own motor vehicle and the target motor vehicle at the point ofleaving the detection area is reduced in the ECU by a shortening stretchDX to an effective distance Xeff. The shortening stretch DX should bechanged depending on the environment (motorway, country road, towntraffic), the speed of the target motor vehicle at the time of leavingthe detection area, the momentary speed of one's own motor vehicle, thebend radii of bends already driven through in the past within apredetermined period of time, or similar.

The shortening stretch DX can also be determined from the average of thebend radii of bends already driven through in the past within apredetermined period of time.

The trigger signal contains information on or is characteristic of amaximum length of time resulting from the momentary speed of one's ownmotor vehicle and the distance X between one's own vehicle and thetarget motor vehicle at the time of its leaving the detection area orthe effective distance Xeff.

To further increase selection safety of the target motor vehicle,determination can also be made as to whether an object located in thedetection area in front of one's own motor vehicle goes below apredetermined distance and not in the lane of one's own motor vehicle isexcluded from selection as a priority object. This strategy according tothe invention allows for the circumstance that for targets a smalldistance away from one's own motor vehicle locating can no longer bedone with the required accuracy. As objects of this kind are stilldetected via the so-called ancillary lobe of the radar sensor, itappears as if someone is cutting in to the lane of one's own motorvehicle from a neighboring lane.

Furthermore, an object which is located outside a predetermined angle tothe central longitudinal axis of the sensor of one's own motor vehicleor exceeds a predetermined angle can be excluded from selection as apriority object.

The same applies to an object which has not been a target motor vehiclefor a predetermined period of time in the past.

Other advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilledin the art from the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a systemaccording to the invention for evaluating the driving environment of amotor vehicle;

FIG. 2 explains the relations of the individual physical variablesdetected by the radar sensor in the system according to the inventionfor evaluating the driving environment of a motor vehicle according toFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts how the system according to the invention according toFIG. 1 processes the received data signals from the different sensors;

FIG. 4 depicts the situation of a motor vehicle with a system accordingto the invention for evaluating the driving environment of a motorvehicle on a multi-lane straight section of lane;

FIG. 5 depicts the situation of a motor vehicle with a system accordingto the invention for evaluating the driving environment of a motorvehicle on a multi-lane curved section of lane;

FIG. 5 a shows the probability distribution that a motor vehicle will beencountered in a left-hand, central or right-hand lane;

FIG. 6 shows the noise amplitude of the bearing angle calculated foreach of the objects;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic block diagram and its input and output signalsfor identifying left-hand or right-hand bends in a system according tothe invention for evaluating the driving environment of a motor vehicle;

FIG. 8 shows the situation of a motor vehicle with a system according tothe invention for evaluating the driving environment of a motor vehicle,while identifying whether the motor vehicle is moving in right-hand orleft-hand drive traffic and

FIG. 9 depicts the behavior of a motor vehicle with a system accordingto the invention for evaluating the driving environment of a motorvehicle on a curved section of lane when the target motor vehicle hasbeen lost.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a schematic block diagram of a systemaccording to the invention for evaluating the driving environment of amotor vehicle and for influencing the speed of the motor vehicle. Thissystem has an electronic control unit ECU, connected to a signaltransmitter, which generates a signal characteristic of the desiredspeed Vdesired of the motor vehicle. The electronic control unit ECUfurther receives from a signal transmitter operating as a yaw ratesensor a signal characteristic of the rate of revolutions dPSI/dt of themotor vehicle about its vertical axis. Moreover, the electronic controlunit ECU is connected to a signal transmitter operating as a radarsensor RS.

The radar sensor RS generates signals characteristic of objects locatedin the area in front of the motor vehicle in the direction of travel ofthe motor vehicle, which are fed to the electronic control unit ECU andtherein further processed in a way described further below. Furthermore,the electronic control unit ECU receives from signal transmittersoperating as wheel speed sensors, as also required, for example, for ABSoperation, signals v(VL), v(VR), v(HL), v(HR) characteristic of thespeed of the wheels VL, VR, HL, HR of the motor vehicle. Connected tothe electronic control unit ECU as signal transmitter for the steeringangle turn of the motor vehicle's steering wheel is an angle of rotationtransmitter LW and as signal transmitter for the position of theaccelerator pedal of the motor vehicle likewise an angle of rotationtransmitter FP. The electronic control unit ECU is connected to controldevices, having influence on the driving behavior of the motor vehicle,in the form of engine management or the electric or electrohydraulicbraking system, in order to feed them output signals derived from thedriving behavior of the motor vehicle in front of one's own motorvehicle and possibly the driving environment.

The radar sensor RS continually scans the area in front of the motorvehicle and generates signals characteristic of objects X located in thearea in front of the motor vehicle in respect of their distance from andorientation to the motor vehicle. In particular the speed v_rel_X of theobject X relative to the speed v of one's own motor vehicle, thedistance d_x relative to one's own motor vehicle, the angle offsetAlpha_x or the lateral drift relative to the vehicle longitudinal axisof one's own motor vehicle are continually detected and evaluated in theelectronic control unit ECU (see FIG. 2).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the area scanned by the sensor in front of themotor vehicle is approximately conical or lobar and, depending on theactual environmental circumstances has a length of approximately 200–250meters and an aperture of approximately 12°. To increase the safety ofevaluation, however, only objects located in a core range ofapproximately 8–10° are observed. Safe detection can therefore takeplace for objects which are at a maximum distance of approximately200+/−30 meters from one's own motor vehicle or are moving away in frontof it within or below this range. This substantially rectangular lane issimulated in the electronic control unit ECU as a data structure anddivided into a close range (for example approximately 0–50 meters), afar range (for example 150+ meters) and a medium range (for example50–150 meters).

The data signals may in this case come from special sensors provided inthe motor vehicle for the system according to the invention or fromsensors also provided for other motor vehicle systems (braking control,“electronic steering wheel”, EPS, or similar) and feed their data into abus system (for example CAN-BUS) provided in the motor vehicle.

FIG. 3 depicts how the electronic control unit ECU processes the datasignals received from the different sensors and generates data which arefiled in tables or description objects and if necessary continuallyupdated. A substantial part of the system according to the inventionconsists of an object table OT in which the objects located in the areain front of the motor vehicle (moving and possibly also static) are keptwith their attributes (for example speed relative to the speed of one'sown motor vehicle, the distance relative to one's own motor vehicle, theangle offset or the lateral drift relative to the vehicle longitudinalaxis of one's own motor vehicle, how long a certain object has alreadybeen in the object table OT, how often it has performed a change oflane, etc.), in other words their object descriptions. From the objecttable OT and its history HIST, in other words from object descriptionsin the past, a vehicle environment description FUB (is the motor vehiclemoving in left-hand or right-hand drive traffic, is it traveling on amotorway, a country road or in town traffic, how many lanes does theroad being driven on currently by the motor vehicle have, in which laneis the motor vehicle at the moment, is the road being driven on by themotor vehicle at the moment bendy, if so to what extent, or does theroad run in a straight line? etc.) is generated, from which, togetherwith the history HIST of the object table OT and the current data in theobject selection OA, an object is selected from the object table OT astarget motor vehicle, which is drawn on as “motor vehicle travelingahead”, in order to adjust one's own driving behavior (speed vdesired,distance ddesired, etc.) to its driving behavior, as shown in FIG. 4.

To establish the centre line of one's own lane in the area detected infront of the motor vehicle, the radius of curvature R of the bend of thelane of the centre of gravity of one's own motor vehicle is modified inthe electronic control unit ECU using the change in the angle bearing ofthe objects traveling ahead and the absolute position of the objectstraveling ahead in respect of the momentarily predicated lane. In otherwords, the distance in respect of the momentary location in the lane,after covering which the radius of curvature R of the bend in the laneof the centre of gravity of one's own motor vehicle changes, isdetermined in the electronic control unit ECU for one's own motorvehicle. The dimension of the change is here determined from the changein the angle bearing of the objects traveling ahead or their absoluteposition in respect of the momentarily predicated lane. In other words“predictive driving” takes place, in which one's own motor vehicle canbe prepared for when or at what distance from the momentary position areduction in one's own speed is indicated, as the motor vehiclestraveling ahead are—also—entering a bend situation.

In order to make as accurate a prediction as possible in this case, asto how the radius of curvature R of the bend in the lane of the centreof gravity of one's own motor vehicle changes, the lateral speeds of theobjects moving in the area detected in front of the motor vehicle areevaluated in the electronic control unit ECU and filed in the objecttable OT as attributes and updated. The same method is used with thelength of time spent by the objects moving in the area detected in frontof the motor vehicle and their speed and distance in the direction oftravel from one's own motor vehicle, in order to modify the radius ofcurvature R as a function of the length of time spent or its speedand/or distance from one's own motor vehicle.

In the vehicle environment description FUB (FIG. 3) the course and thewidth of the lane of one's own vehicle in the area located in front ofit are additionally filed as a description and updated. As depicted inFIGS. 4 and 5, in the vehicle environment description FUB the width ofone's own lane is modified in the electronic control unit ECU dependingon the distance from one's own motor vehicle, the maximum width in closerange and in far range being less than in medium range. The width ofone's own lane is fixed in the electronic control unit only at thosepoints in the area in front of one's own motor vehicle at which thereare also objects in the area detected in front of one's own motorvehicle.

As likewise depicted in FIGS. 4, 5, in the vehicle environmentdescription (FIG. 2) the width of one's own lane is modified in theelectronic control unit ECU as a function of the distance away ofdetected objects in the area in front of one's own motor vehicle and theorientation of a bend, in such a way that at a great distance the widthon the outside of the bend decreases and the width in the mediumdistance increases on the inside of the bend. Moreover, the width ofone's own lane can be widened in the electronic control towards bothsides at the point where there is a target motor vehicle, on the drivingbehavior of which the driving behavior of one's own vehicle is supposedto depend.

Furthermore, in the vehicle environment description FUB one's own laneis widened towards both sides by the electronic control unit ECU as afunction of the length of time in which the driving behavior of one'sown motor vehicle is dependent on the driving behavior of this targetmotor vehicle at the point where the target motor vehicle is located(see FIG. 5). In a corresponding way the width of one's own lane ismodified in the electronic control unit (ECU) as a function of the speedof one's own motor vehicle and/or the bendiness of the road on whichone's own motor vehicle is located. A procedure according to theinvention for determining the bendiness is explained further below.

A further feature which plays a role in the selection of an object astarget motor vehicle is its lane. The objects located in the area infront of one's own motor vehicle are classified for this in respect oftheir momentary position compared with the width of the lane at anappropriate distance from one's own motor vehicle. Moving objectsdetected in front of one's own vehicle are classified in the electroniccontrol unit ECU as objects in one's own lane, if an object further awaythan a minimum distance has a length of appearance in one's own laneduring a predetermined time frame, which has a relation to the sum ofthe length of appearance in one or both neighboring lanes exceeding athreshold value. In this case this object is filed with thecorresponding attributes in the object table OT. The classification of amotor vehicle as belonging to the centre lane, for example,—in whichone's own motor vehicle is also located—assumes that it is within thecorridor for the momentary distance of the motor vehicle with thecorresponding width. If it is driving on the left outside the corridorlimiting one's own lane, it is classified as driving in the left-handlane; if it is driving on the right outside the corridor limiting one'sown lane, it is classified as driving in the right-hand lane (see forexample FIG. 5). In FIG. 5 a is depicted with what probabilitydistribution a motor vehicle is to be encountered in a left-hand, centreor right-hand lane. A corresponding value is filed in the object tableOT and updated for each of the objects.

The predetermined time frame can in this case be modified in theelectronic control unit ECU as a function of the speed of one's ownmotor vehicle and filed in the object table OT.

Moreover, the threshold value can be reduced in the electronic controlunit ECU as the distance of the object from one's own vehicle growssmaller.

Furthermore, the length of time spent by all objects for the lanespresent in relation to one's own lane is determined and weighted overthe time. This is filed in the object table OT as an attribute.Chronologically more recent appearances of objects in the lane of one'sown motor vehicle are valued higher than appearances in the past andappearances which are spatially far away of objects in the lane of one'sown motor vehicle are valued lower than spatially closer appearances.

From the lanes present in each case a maximum of two moving objects areselected in each case by the electronic control unit ECU as priorityobjects in the object table OT and provided with appropriate marking asan attribute in the object table OT, if they have been detected asmoving in front of one's own vehicle for a time frame above a minimumvalue. This respective length of time is weighted lower for objectslocated very close to one's own vehicle (0–30 m) and very far from one'sown motor vehicle (120–200 m) and higher for objects in between.

For each priority object in the object table OT characterized in thisway it is determined by the electronic control unit ECU how far eachpriority object changes its lateral position relative to the centre lineof the lane of one's own vehicle. The sum of the average values of thelateral changes in position of the priority objects are determined bythe electronic control unit ECU as the change value of the lane of one'sown motor vehicle at the respective distance from one's own vehicle andlikewise filed in the object table OT.

By object selection OA (FIG. 4), from the priority objects the one, onthe behavior of which the behavior of one's own motor vehicle issupposed to depend, which is moving in the lane of one's own vehicle,has a direction of movement over ground substantially coinciding withthe direction of movement of one's own vehicle and has been detected inthe area in front of one's own motor vehicle for a predetermined lengthof time read out from the object table OT and its history HIST, isselected in the electronic control unit ECU as target motor vehicle.

The cross speed relative to the centre line of one's own lane is alsokept and updated in the object table OT for each of the priorityobjects. This also allows selection of the target motor vehicleaccording to the criterion that this cross speed does not exceed athreshold value, possibly also changeable as a function of the distanceof the respective object from one's own vehicle.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the noise amplitude of the bearingangle in respect of the central longitudinal axis of one's own motorvehicle is recorded as an attribute in the object table OT for each ofthe objects selected as priority objects and possibly also added to thehistory HIST. It is therefore possible to evaluate the chronologicalcourse of the noise amplitude of the bearing angle for each of thepriority objects in the electronic control unit ECU. According to theinvention the noise signal is low-pass filtered to cut out short angledeflections. If a threshold value dependent on distance is exceeded,this priority object is excluded from selection as target motor vehicle,on the driving behavior of which the driving behavior of one's own motorvehicle is supposed to depend.

Similarly, a priority object, on the driving behavior of which thedriving behavior of one's own vehicle is supposed to depend, is excludedfrom selection as target motor vehicle if its distance from one's ownvehicle is greater than a distance threshold value (for example 4°) andthis priority object has not previously been selected as target motorvehicle. The continuous recording of the noise amplitude of the bearingangle in respect of the central longitudinal axis of one's own motorvehicle as an attribute in the object table OT for each of the objectsselected as priority objects and possibly adding them to the historyHIST is very useful for this too.

In the electronic control unit ECU a change in lane of one's own motorvehicle is identified from the fact that the change in the bearing angleto the target motor vehicle, on the driving behavior of which thedriving behavior of one's own motor vehicle is supposed to depend,exceeds a certain threshold value and substantially equals the rate ofrevolutions of one's own vehicle with inverse algebraic sign. The rateof revolutions of one's own motor vehicle can be derived from the signalof the yaw rate sensor (see FIG. 1) which delivers a signalcharacteristic of the rate of revolutions dPSI/dt of the motor vehicleabout its vertical axis. The continuous recording of the bearing angleof the target motor vehicle in respect of the central longitudinal axisof one's own motor vehicle and its noise amplitude as an attribute inthe object table OT and adding it to the history HIST is also requiredfor this evaluation.

As shown in FIG. 7, a variable K(t) related to the curvature of the laneof one's own motor vehicle is fed in the electronic control unit ECU asinput signal in parallel to several low-pass filters T1, T2, T3, T4 ofthe first order with different time constants. This variable may be, forexample, the bend radius determined in the way described above or itsreciprocal value or the rate of revolutions of the vehicle.

The output signals of the low-pass filters and the input signal arecompared with one another in each case, in order to identify atransition from a bend of one orientation to a bend of oppositeorientation in the course of the road of one's own vehicle. This takesplace in the electronic control unit ECU in that if the output signalsare at a respective minimum distance from one another and the outputsignal of a respective low-pass filter is smaller than the output signalof a low-pass filter with a smaller time constant and larger than theoutput signal of a low-pass filter with a larger time constant or theoutput signal of a respective low-pass filter is larger than the outputsignal of a low-pass filter with a smaller time constant and smallerthan the output signal of a low-pass filter with a larger time constanta transition is identified.

In FIG. 7 this is depicted in that the four comparisons used in theexample are carried out at two time points X, Y. If the individualresults (output signals a, b, c, d) of the four comparisons of 1, 1, 1,1 change in succession to 0, 0, 0, 0, it can be derived from this that abend transition has taken place.

A further aspect of the system according to the invention is toestablish in what environment one's own motor vehicle is at that time.For this a value “environmental speed” is kept in the vehicleenvironment description FUB the electronic control unit ECU (see FIG. 2)and regularly updated. To distinguish the type of road on which one'sown motor vehicle is traveling, characteristic values with flexiblelimits are determined in the electronic control unit ECU for the threedifferent road environments (town traffic, country road, motorway).

This value is approximated in steps from a momentary amount to the speedactually being driven at by one's own motor vehicle. The speed actuallybeing driven at by one's own motor vehicle is derived from theaccelerator pedal signal FP (see FIG. 1) or a tachometer signal (notfurther depicted). According to the invention an approximation from ahigher value than the momentary amount of the speed actually beingdriven at takes place at a first speed rate and an approximation from alower value than the momentary amount of the speed actually being drivenat at a second speed rate considerably higher than the first.

Moreover, the value “environmental speed” is approximated in steps froma momentary amount to a value which is in the motorway range (forexample 150 kmh), if there are at least two other objects travelingsubstantially side by side in front of one's own motor vehicle.

Furthermore, the value “environmental speed” is approximated in stepsfrom a momentary amount to a lower threshold value. If a sideacceleration where to emerge from the value “environmental speed” andthe momentary rate of revolutions of one's own vehicle exceeding athreshold value, the value “environmental speed” is reduced at a fourth,considerably higher speed rate than the third until this sideacceleration no longer exceeds the threshold value.

Finally, the value “environmental speed” is limited to a predeterminablemultiple (for example 0.5–1.5) of the desired speed of one's own motorvehicle and to a predeterminable lower threshold value (for example 40kmh) and a predeterminable upper threshold value (for example 160 kmh).

The value “environmental speed” is important for the functioning of thesystem according to the invention in many respects, as it has influenceon other parameters or is drawn on to determine, modify or update them.On the other hand, further variables derived from the driving behaviorof one's own or other people's motor vehicles, which allow conclusionsto be drawn on the environment, also have an influence on theseparameters. One of these derived variables is the course of curvature ofthe road on which one's own motor vehicle is located at the time;expressed mathematically, this is the course of the reciprocal value ofthe bend radius over the path. According to the invention this course ofcurvature is differentiated according to the path. As a function of theresult a characteristic value “bendiness” is determined.

Depending on the result of the differentiation of the course ofcurvature according to the path, in a succession of bend changes over acertain distance the “bendiness” is changed at a predetermined ratedependent on the speed of one's own motor vehicle and/or the distancefrom the target motor vehicle.

In the electronic control unit ECU the course of curvature isadditionally differentiated according to the path and in the case oflong straight sections over a certain distance reduced as a function ofthe result of the value “bendiness” at a predetermined rate, preferablydependent on the speed of one's own vehicle and/or the distance from thetarget motor vehicle and/or the length of the straight section.

Similarly, if driving through an S-bend is identified, in other wordstwo bend sections running in opposite directions without or with only arelatively short straight intermediate piece, the value “bendiness” isincreased at a higher rate as a function of the result.

A further factor influencing the value “bendiness” is the integral ofthe rate of revolutions signal dPSI/dt of the motor vehicle about itsvertical axis, which reproduces the change in direction of one's ownvehicle over the path. As a function of this, the value “bendiness” isincreased by a dynamic portion at a high rate. If there is no rate ofrevolutions signal above a predetermined value, the dynamic portion isbrought back again—to the previous value.

The system according to the invention here provides to add the dynamicportion to the value “bendiness” or subtract it from it again inright-hand drive traffic for right-hand bends only and in left-handdrive traffic for left-hand bends only. The manner in which right-handdrive traffic or left-hand drive traffic is identified is describedfurther below. The dynamic portion is, moreover, modified dependent onthe speed of one's own vehicle.

As a function of the thus determined “bendiness” the geometry of thedriving corridor for selecting the target relevant for control isadjusted (e.g. shortened) to the effect that incorrect target selectionin bend transitions is avoided.

Similarly, in the selection as target motor vehicle those which “driftforwards and backwards” relatively little are preferred.

A further criterion in selecting a priority object is that an objectwhich is located in the detection area in front of one's own vehicle,goes below a predetermined distance and is not in the lane of one's ownvehicle is excluded from selection as priority object.

An object which is located outside a predetermined angle to the centrallongitudinal axis of one's own vehicle or exceeds a predetermined angleis also excluded from selection as a priority object.

To identify left-hand or right-hand drive traffic, for vehiclestraveling in the lanes present in front of one's own motor vehicle theirspeed is determined in the electronic control unit ECU and from this acharacteristic value derived which indicates whether one's own motorvehicle is in left-hand or right-hand drive traffic. This is depicted inFIG. 8, wherein in FIG. 8 at the top a left-hand drive traffic situation(as for example in Great Britain or Japan) and in FIG. 8 at the bottom aright-hand drive traffic situation is shown (as for example incontinental Europe or the USA).

In order to identify where one's own motor vehicle is located, thestretch covered by a predetermined number of the motor vehiclestraveling in the lanes present in front of one's own motor vehicle or avariable correlated therewith is determined and related to thecorresponding variable for one's own motor vehicle. For this thecharacteristic value is determined as an integral of the differentialspeeds of the motor vehicles of a first, preferably the left-hand, laneand the differential speeds of the motor vehicles of a second,preferably the right-hand, lane, in relation to the speed of one's ownvehicle. To increase safety of identification an upper threshold valueand a lower threshold value are determined, the electronic control unitECU generating a signal “right-hand drive traffic” and storing it in thevehicle environment description FUB if the characteristic value exceedsthe upper threshold value and generating a signal “left-hand drivetraffic” and storing it in the vehicle environment description FUB ifthe characteristic value goes below the lower threshold value.

For identifying left-hand and right-hand drive traffic only speeds ofmotor vehicles which exceed a predetermined threshold value (for example10 km/h) are taken into account. Moreover, to identify left-hand orright-hand drive traffic motor vehicles traveling in front of one's ownvehicle are evaluated only if the radius of the lane exceeds apredetermined threshold value (for example 25–50 m).

In evaluating for identification of left-hand or right-hand drivetraffic, characteristic values of motor vehicles with a negativerelative speed to the speed of one's own motor vehicle, the amount ofwhich is greater than the speed of one's own motor vehicle, are providedwith a weighting factor. Via the weighting factor it is fixed to whatextent traffic going in the opposite direction is taken into account,the relative speed for vehicles identified as traffic traveling in theopposite direction being regarded as negated.

A further functionality of the system according to the invention isexplained below with reference to FIG. 9. If a target motor vehicleleaves the detection area in front of one's own vehicle, a triggersignal is generated in the electronic control unit ECU, which limits themomentary speed or the momentary acceleration of one's own motor vehicleat least for a stretch to a value corresponding substantially to amaximum of the distance X between one's own motor vehicle and the targetmotor vehicle at the time of its leaving the detection area.

The distance X between one's own motor vehicle and the target motorvehicle is continually detected for this. If the target motor vehicleleaves the detection area of the radar sensor RS of one's own motorvehicle, at the time of leaving the detection area there is a reductionby a shortening stretch DX to an effective distance Xeff. Thisshortening stretch DX is dependent on the environment (motorway, countryroad, town traffic), the speed of the target motor vehicle at the timeof leaving the detection area, the momentary speed of one's own motorvehicle, the bend radii of bends already driven through in the pastwithin a predetermined period of time, or similar.

As the target motor vehicle “disappears” in front of one's own motorvehicle when it enters a bend, while one's own motor vehicle is stilldriving straight ahead, this would result for one's own vehicle in theACC system increasing the speed. In this way the speed for entering thebend might be too high, so the driver would have to brake sharply. Thefunctionality according to the invention prevents this effect in that atrigger signal is generated which prevents this increase in speed for apredetermined length of time. The trigger signal is here characteristicof a maximum period of time—and is output for a corresponding length oftime—resulting from the momentary speed of one's own motor vehicle andthe distance X between one's own motor vehicle and the target motorvehicle at the time of leaving the detection area or the effectivedistance Xeff.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principleand mode of operation of this invention have been explained andillustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understoodthat this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallyexplained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.

1. System for evaluating a driving environment of a motor vehicle andfor influencing a speed of the motor vehicle in its own lane,comprising: an electronic control unit (ECU), which is connected to: asignal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of adesired speed of the motor vehicle, a signal generator generating asignal which is characteristic of a yaw rate of the motor vehicle aboutits vertical axis, a signal generator which generates, for objectslocated in a space lying in front of the motor vehicle in its directionof travel, a signal which is characteristic of a distance andorientation of the objects with respect to the motor vehicle and whichreproduces at least one of: a speed relative to the speed of the motorvehicle, a distance relative to the motor vehicle, and an angular offsetor a lateral deviation relative to a vehicle longitudinal axis of themotor vehicle, and a signal generator generating a signal which ischaracteristic of a speed at least of one wheel of the motor vehicle;wherein the electronic control unit (ECU) is connected to at least onecontrol device for influencing road behavior of the motor vehicle inorder to supply said at least one control device with output signalswhich are derived from road behavior of a target motor vehicle locatedin front of the motor vehicle, whereby characteristic values havingfluid boundaries are established in the electronic control unit (ECU)for at least two different road environments (town traffic, countryroad, highway) in order to distinguish the type of road on which themotor vehicle is traveling, wherein a quantity influencing therespective characteristic value is the “environmental speed” establishedfrom the speeds of the objects detected in the space in front of thedriver's motor vehicle.
 2. System according to claim 1, wherein the“environmental speed” value of an instantaneous magnitude isapproximated to a speed at which the motor vehicle is actually travelingvia a predetermined function in the electronic control unit (ECU),wherein both an approximation of a value higher than an instantaneousmagnitude of the speed at which the motor vehicle is actually travelingwith a first speed and an approximation of a value lower than theinstantaneous magnitude of the speed at which the motor vehicle isactually traveling with a second speed take place.
 3. System accordingto claim 2, wherein when at least two other objects, substantiallytraveling side-by-side, are located in front of the motor vehicle andthe motor vehicle is traveling at an actual speed which lies in the“country road” range, the “environmental speed” value is raised with athird speed.
 4. System according to claim 3, wherein the “environmentalspeed” value of an instantaneous magnitude is approximated to a lowerlimit value in steps, in the electronic control unit (ECU), wherein,should a lateral acceleration which exceeds a threshold value resultfrom the “environmental speed” value and an instantaneous yaw rate ofthe driver's motor vehicle, the “environmental speed” value is reducedto the threshold value with a fourth speed.
 5. System according to claim4, wherein the fourth speed is significantly higher than the thirdspeed.
 6. System according to claim 2, wherein the second speed issignificantly higher than the first speed.
 7. System according to claim3, wherein the third speed is significantly higher than the secondspeed.
 8. System according to claim 1, wherein the “environmental speed”value is limited to a predeterminable multiple of the desired speed ofthe motor vehicle in the electronic control unit (ECU).
 9. Systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the “environmental speed” value is limitedto a predeterminable lower threshold value and a predeterminable upperthreshold value in the electronic control unit (ECU).
 10. Systemaccording to claim 1, wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated inthe electronic control unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and,according to the result, the “environmental speed” value is reduced witha predetermined rate.
 11. System according to claim 10, wherein thepredetermined rate depends on at least one of the speed of the motorvehicle and on the distance from the target motor vehicle.
 12. Systemaccording to claim 1, wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated inthe electronic control unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and, inthe case of a sequence of bend changes over a certain distance,according to the result, the “environmental speed” value is reduced witha predetermined rate.
 13. System according to claim 12, wherein thepredetermined rate depends on at least one of the speed of the motorvehicle and on the distance from the target motor vehicle.
 14. Systemaccording to claim 1, wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated inthe electronic control unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and, inthe case of long straight sections over a certain distance, according tothe result, the “environmental speed” value is increased with apredetermined rate.
 15. System according to claim 14, wherein thepredetermined rate depends on at least one of the speed of the motorvehicle and on the distance from the target motor vehicle.
 16. Systemaccording to claim 1, wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated inthe electronic control unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and, inthe case of double bends (two contradirectional bend sections withoutany or with just one relatively short straight intermediate stretch),according to the result, the “environmental speed” value is reduced witha high rate.
 17. System according to claim 1, wherein, given a signalwhich reproduces a yaw rate lying above a predetermined value, the“environmental speed” value is reduced with a high rate by a dynamiccomponent and, in the absence of the yaw rate signal lying above thepredetermined value, the dynamic component is restored in the electroniccontrol unit (ECU).
 18. System according to claim 17, wherein, in thecase of right-hand traffic, the dynamic component is only subtractedfrom the environmental speed or restored for right-hand bends and, inthe case of left-hand traffic, the dynamic component is only subtractedfrom the environmental speed or restored for left-hand bends in theelectronic control unit (ECU).
 19. System according to claim 17, whereinthe dynamic component is modified in the electronic control unit (ECU)according to at least one of the speed of the motor vehicle and thedistance from the target motor vehicle.
 20. System according to claim 1,wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated in the electroniccontrol unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and, according to theresult, the “environmental speed” value is reduced with a predeterminedrate.
 21. System according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined ratedepends on at least one of the speed of the motor vehicle and thedistance from the target motor vehicle.
 22. System according to claim 1,wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated in the electroniccontrol unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and, in the case of asequence of bend changes over a certain distance, according to theresult, the “environmental speed” value is reduced with a predeterminedrate.
 23. System according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined ratedepends on at least one of the speed of the motor vehicle and thedistance from the target motor vehicle.
 24. System according to claim 1,wherein a bend characteristic is differentiated in the electroniccontrol unit (ECU) according to a path traveled and, in the case of longstraight sections over a certain distance, according to the result, the“environmental speed” value is increased with a predetermined rate. 25.System according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined rate depends onat least one of the speed of the motor vehicle and the distance from thetarget motor vehicle.
 26. System according to claim 1, wherein the“environmental speed” is determined by averaging.